CryptoNote technical discussion and Chess Challenge

[boolberry]

I might continue compiling charts for this game as well if it takes off.

Three more 1.e4 votes came in after this graph.

Right now there are four 1.e4 votes vs two votes for 1.d4

Voting will be finalized at 0:00 UTC time unless Team Monero announces that it has finalized its decision sooner

[boolberry]

Team Monero (white pieces) vs. Team Boolberry (black pieces)
black to move

1. e4

Based on the votes in this thread Team Monero has chosen to play 1. e4.

Now it is time for Team Boolberry to respond. Votes will be finalized at 0:00 UTC tomorrow.

[boolberry]

I vote for playing c5 (sicilian defense)

[newb4now]

I would like to join Team Boolberry

My move choice is e7-e5

Care to make any comments about Zerocash based on the recent tweet of Matthew Green?

https://twitter.com/matthew_d_green/status/648221218773049344

Has the zkSNARK setup (requiring trust to ensure an unlimited number extra coins are not produced in secret) problem been solved?

CryptoNote definitely is the best solution available today.

View key functionality may also future proof its ability to comply with regulatory compliance in a way the competition cannot.

[generalizethis]

I would like to join Team Boolberry

My move choice is e7-e5

Care to make any comments about Zerocash based on the recent tweet of Matthew Green?

https://twitter.com/matthew_d_green/status/648221218773049344

Has the zkSNARK setup (requiring trust to ensure an unlimited number extra coins are not produced in secret) problem been solved?

CryptoNote definitely is the best solution available today.

View key functionality may also future proof its ability to comply with regulatory compliance in a way the competition cannot.

I think the more privacy tools the better. Who wants to play chess with all knights?

[newb4now]

I would like to hear about not just the potential for bitcoin sidechains, but the privacy implications of the mere knowledge that someone is using a sidechain.

For example could blockchain analysis prevent someone from using a particular sidechain without the knowledge of those observing? The bitcoin transaction used to access the sidechain will always be publicly visible along with its time, date and value. If funds are transferred back to bitcoin from the side chain at some future date, could that transaction be connected to the earlier transaction based on factors such as time and the transaction value?

[letsplayagame]

Monero (CryptoNote)
https://getmonero.org/
https://lab.getmonero.org/pubs/MRL-0001.pdf
https://lab.getmonero.org/pubs/MRL-0002.pdf
https://lab.getmonero.org/pubs/MRL-0003.pdf
https://lab.getmonero.org/pubs/MRL-0004.pdf
https://downloads.getmonero.org/whitepaper_review.pdf

Boolberry (CryptoNote)
http://boolberry.com/
http://boolberry.com/theory.html
http://boolberry.com/files/Boolberry_Solves_CryptoNote_Flaws.pdf
http://boolberry.org/files/Boolberry_Reduces_Blockchain_Bloat.pdf

Those links were helpful. There are a few questions raised in the whitepaper review that I would like to hear opinions on:
https://downloads.getmonero.org/whitepaper_review.pdf

Quote from Surae Noether on pages 4-5:
My single biggest question after reading the entire paper is the how did they choose their elliptic curve constants?  The protocol appears sound; who chose the constants?  Will there be a plan for choosing new constants in the future if needed?

I know that Monero and Boolberry did not create CryptoNote but have improved on it. Any guesses for the reason the CryptoNote creators selected a relatively new cryptographic hash function?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secure_Hash_Algorithm

I appreciate your thoughts on this and am aware there may not be easy answers to my questions

[smooth]

Has the zkSNARK setup (requiring trust to ensure an unlimited number extra coins are not produced in secret) problem been solved?

Somewhat. There is a way to do it with multiple participants such that only a single honest participant is required. Still, if you weren't part of the process and you show up later, there is not really any way for you to audit the process or know that it was set up properly. That's unlike most systems where no matter when you show up you can still audit the code and determine that it is secure.

[smooth]

My single biggest question after reading the entire paper is the how did they choose their elliptic curve constants?  The protocol appears sound; who chose the constants?  Will there be a plan for choosing new constants in the future if needed?

As I understand it the constants were chosen by Daniel J. Bernstein. I think this is noted in the white paper but may have been missed during that initial review when cryptonote suddenly dropped out of the sky.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EdDSA

I'm not a cryptographer so I may be getting some of this wrong.

I know that Monero and Boolberry did not create CryptoNote but have improved on it. Any guesses for the reason the CryptoNote creators selected a relatively new cryptographic hash function?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secure_Hash_Algorithm

I've not seen any answer to this, though you could try asking on their forum. That can be hit or miss. Some of the people posting there on behalf of "cryptonote" obviously have technical knowledge but others are just clueless.

[languagehasmeaning]

I vote for playing c5 (sicilian defense)

Same choice for me.

1.e4  c5

[boolberry]

I vote for playing c5 (sicilian defense)

Same choice for me.

1.e4  c5

Team Boolberry c5 voters win by a 2-1 margin as of 0:00 UTC

Now it is time for white (Team Monero) to respond. I will count votes again at 0:00 UTC tomorrow

[smooth]

One of the few lines I even know is Nf3

But the better chess players on our team probably have other input.

[LucyLovesCrypto]

One of the few lines I even know is Nf3

But the better chess players on our team probably have other input.

Make that two votes for Nf3

[XMRpromotions]

One of the few lines I even know is Nf3

But the better chess players on our team probably have other input.

Make that two votes for Nf3

3 votes!

Nf3 is a good developing move and it helps to prepare d4 and a fight for the center of the board.

[ArticMine]

Nf3 That is now 4 votes

[ArticMine]

...

Nf3 is a good developing move and it helps to prepare d4 and a fight for the center of the board.

We can vote on open vs closed Sicilian defence at the appropriate time.

[boolberry]

100% of Team Monero voters have chosen Nf3 as of 0:00 UTC

Now it is time for black (Team Boolberry) to respond. I will count votes again at 0:00 UTC tomorrow



1. e4  c5
2. Nf3

[boolberry]

I will make the first vote for d6.

If you like chess this thread is worth a look:
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=1148538.0

Anyone can join Team Bitcointalk and challenge our anonymous opponent. Right now we are on move 18.

[newb4now]

I vote Nc6

[letsplayagame]

My single biggest question after reading the entire paper is the how did they choose their elliptic curve constants?  The protocol appears sound; who chose the constants?  Will there be a plan for choosing new constants in the future if needed?

As I understand it the constants were chosen by Daniel J. Bernstein. I think this is noted in the white paper but may have been missed during that initial review when cryptonote suddenly dropped out of the sky.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EdDSA

I'm not a cryptographer so I may be getting some of this wrong.

I know that Monero and Boolberry did not create CryptoNote but have improved on it. Any guesses for the reason the CryptoNote creators selected a relatively new cryptographic hash function?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secure_Hash_Algorithm

I've not seen any answer to this, though you could try asking on their forum. That can be hit or miss. Some of the people posting there on behalf of "cryptonote" obviously have technical knowledge but others are just clueless.

Daniel Bernstein seems well qualified to make that decision. Maybe he will share his thoughts with us. Is he on bitcointalk?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_J._Bernstein

The second question may or may not even matter (I have no reason to assume there is something wrong with the chosen hash function).  Only because of the importance of the decision am I wondering about the selection.  I have not registered on the CryptoNote forums but may do so at some point.

Thank you for your time.